


Meeting Dodie Clark

by straightoutofthekitchencupboard



Category: Doddleoddle - Fandom
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-31
Updated: 2016-03-31
Packaged: 2018-05-30 08:24:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6416164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/straightoutofthekitchencupboard/pseuds/straightoutofthekitchencupboard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, this is my story of Dodie Clark so far.</p><p>It's a long story but it means a lot to me. To shorten it wouldn't do the story justice and so I'm going to take my time writing it out.</p><p>I hope you enjoy this story and I hope I'll be able to add to it as time goes on considering I plan on going to ComicCon and SitC this year.</p><p>*Note* Some of these quotes aren't completely accurate because my memory is pretty rubbish but it's essentially along the lines of what happened.</p><p>Here we go!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meeting Dodie Clark

So, this is my story of Dodie Clark so far.

It's a long story but it means a lot to me. To shorten it wouldn't do the story justice and so I'm going to take my time writing it out.

I hope you enjoy this story and I hope I'll be able to add to it as time goes on considering I plan on going to ComicCon and SitC this year.

*Note* Some of these quotes aren't completely accurate because my memory is pretty rubbish but it's essentially along the lines of what happened.

Here we go!

~*~

The first time I saw Dodie Clark was actually in real life. I had started watching YouTubers when I was in year 7, starting with a girl named Bethan. At the time I was bullied quite a lot at school and didn't have many friends. When I found these Vloggers I began to see them as my friends or as brother and sister figures. However, I hadn't heard of Dodie at all in my year and a half of watching YouTubers.

I stopped watching videos towards the end of year eight. I have no idea why. I think I just got caught up with school and family that I forgot about it all. And then my computer broke that summer and I had no way of watching videos anyway.

It was towards the end of year 10 that one of my friends suggested I watched these two YouTuber's called Dan and Phil. Oh my gosh I am so glad she sent me that damned link. I fell straight back down the rabbit hole that I had lived in through years 7 and 8. I rediscovered YouTubers I had watched before along with many new YouTubers that I quickly fell in love with. But still had not heard of Dodie yet.

That summer I saw a twitter link to tickets for Summer In The City 2014 and since I was working for a couple of weeks that summer and had some extra money I bought one for me and my friend on the Sunday. 

This was when I first saw Dodie Clark.

At this time I had been questioning my sexuality a lot and although I had never told any of my friends I found myself falling for girls and beginning to realise that I was attracted to girls. At Summer In The City I kept seeing this girl everywhere.

She was wearing a white dress and these really cute tights that were half black and had cat ears halfway up. She was carrying around a ukulele case and I thought she was so beautiful. I kept seeing her everywhere; out in the expo hall, around the main stage, standing at the side of the open mic room.

When I was in the open mic room my friend and I had gone to watch Rusty Clanton. When he was done we stayed to watch Tom Law and although I had never heard his music before I fell in love at that performance. Afterwards I saw the girl step up onto the stage and begin to set up but my friend's feet were falling asleep where we had been sat on the floor for so long.

She asked if we could leave and I agreed. I felt bad for leaving just as the girl was starting to perform but didn't think too much on it for the rest of the day and eventually forgot about the pretty girl that I never got to hear sing.

~*~

It was maybe two or three weeks later when TomSka tweeted out a link to a video, recommending we watch it. It was this girl talking about depression and she mentioned Tom. I remember listening with rapt attention and agreeing with everything she said and thinking that she was really cool. But I didn't dwell on it too much. 

I didn't connect her to the girl I had seen at SitC and for some stupid reason I didn't think to check out any more videos or subscribe. I think I'm okay with that though. 

A few weeks later BriBry announced that he was going on tour and tickets were only £8 so naturally I got two for me and my friend (yes, the same friend I took to SitC, because she bought us tickets to ComicCon that October). The concert wasn't until the November but it would be my first every concert so I was very excited.

BriBry announced that doddleoddle would be joining him on tour and so I went and looked her up. And oh my gosh, I fell in love. I could not stop listening to her music, it was so beautiful. However, being the silly human I am, I only looked at her music and didn't check out her other channel. So I fell in love with her music (and her face, not gonna lie here) but not her.

When we got to the concert we were right at the front and I spent the whole time smiling at her. I have this thing where when someone I love is performing and I am within their eyesight I always imagine that they keep looking directly at me and it is such a euphoric feeling. 

There was this part in the performance where BriBry sang a song that he wrote when his sister had cancer. And a girl in the crowd started crying. So Dodie gets off the stage at the end of the performance and goes and hugs this girl who was crying. And I just thought it was the sweetest thing ever.

After the show we were waiting to meet them as they were surrounded by people but my anxiety decided to mess with me and I just couldn't go up to either of them. Eventually (after half an hour) my friend forced me to go up to BriBry (as much as I hated the pushing at the time, I'm glad she did it or I would have been kicking myself all night over it) and I got a hug and a photo.

Unfortunately because I had spent so long freaking out and refusing to move from the corner of the room we were now late for getting out train home and we had to leave without saying hello to Dodie. As much as I was a little upset over this, I didn't feel too bad though because I hadn't really watched her videos all that much.

~*~

But after that night I subscribed to her other channel and I watched every single one of her videos as and when she uploaded them. I really fell in love with her channel. I absolutely loved it. I thought she was so kind and caring and had this beautiful voice that could seriously relax me. 

The following January (January 2015) BriBry announced that he was going on a second tour, again with Dodie and I snatched up those £11 tickets as quickly as I could. As soon as I had the tickets I wanted to write a letter for Dodie. I don't know why but I wanted to tell her how much I loved her channel and so I wanted to write a letter. Only problem was the concert wasn't until April but I really wanted to write something for her.

So I settled for deciding to write her a few letters. At the time I was feeling quite down a lot of the time and the friends I had weren't all that great for my mental health. I wasn't the happiest person ever and there were a lot of family stresses going on and so I decided that to make myself a little less lonely I would write letters to Dodie.

This is when the real story begins. 

I only wrote about five letters and they were all fairly short, talking about how I was feeling, what was going on in my life and how I was feeling at the time that I was writing them. After I wrote each letter I sealed the envelope they were in and left it. I didn't re-read them at all. Simply placed them in a safe place to eventually give to Dodie.

~*~

By the time April came around my friend and I were on a train to London and I was so nervous. I felt silly and a little childish as I sorted through the letters, making sure they were all there and some little gifts I had placed on a hand-painted box for Dodie. I was almost sure that it was a stupid idea but I stuck with it and held my little gift bag throughout the night.

After getting lost for half an hour, my friend and I finally arrived at the venue and queued up. But you know what? I am so glad that we got lost. If we hadn't we would have been further up in the queue. But as it was we were about halfway down the queue, nervously talking together.

As we all queued up, Dodie came out with her little sister Hedy and dragged her up the queue to say hello to all of us. 

"Hello, this is my little sister, Hedy." Dodie said as she walked past us.

"I like cats." Was Hedy's reply, grinning happily up at us.

Dodie looked down at her as if she was the weirdest kid ever before shaking her head and continuing to pull Hedy along to say hello to everyone. 

A couple of minutes later Candice and BriBry also came out. They were walking down the queue and handing out chocolate eggs. They were those Cadbury egg and spoon things. (What? Attention to detail is important.) 

"Here have some chocolate." Candice said as she handed a box to these two girls just in front of my friend and I. "Okay, now that you've accepted the chocolate, you have to be really energetic at this show. There are some important people coming to watch so we need you to be as enthusiastic as possible."

We all laughed at that. Bribery by chocolate is very smart and so we all agreed to be as enthusiastic as we could.

"Do you guys want to share these with us?" One of the girls in front of us asked, indicating to the box of four chocolate eggs.

And we agreed. And we got to talking and turns out these girls were like the coolest people I had ever met. We bonded over mutual love of Harry Potter and our weird names and spent the whole time queueing just having a laugh and talking about school and it was so lovely.

There was a bit of a panic when we were about to go in and they said we had to have ID. The information had only been emailed out the night before the concert and so I hadn't even thought to check. Luckily my friend had a picture of her passport on her phone and I had my EHIC in my wallet for God knows what reason.

When we got inside we ended up hanging out with the girls we met in the queue and the concert was so good. Usually I don't do well with being on my feet for a long time because I have weak ankles but I didn't mind one bit. After the concert Bri and Dodie were meeting people at the back of the venue and so the four of us all got into a queue (more of a bundle) to go and meet them.

As soon as we reached them I went up to Dodie and gave her the bag. "This is for you." I said as I handed it to her, trying to ignore the fact I could see my hand shaking.

"What's all this?" Dodie asked in what I can only describe as an excited, high-pitched voice while she sifted through the bag.

"It's just some letters I wrote for you." I said, I remember being so nervous at this point.

"Thank you so much." I think that was the most sincere thank you anyone has ever said to me. She then pulled me in for a hug and god I wish time had stopped. Hell, I would have settled for time slowing down at least but it didn't. Everything from that point onwards is a blur. I got her to sign my bag and then got a hug from Bri and before I knew it I was in a group photo and we were being ushered away.

That night when I got home at about half past midnight I saw I had a twitter notification. From Dodie. Saying that she was reading my letters. I thought she would have at least waited a couple of days or until the end of her tour before reading all the letters she got, but no. And I could not stop smiling all night.

About four days after this concert my first ever ukulele arrived in the post. On April 11th. My first ukulele arrived on Dodie's birthday. Couldn't have been more perfect really.

~*~

I decided to continue writing letters and I'm glad I did. I went through some serious family drama after that with my parents splitting and other non-important things that seem rather silly now that it's over and done with. Writing to Dodie became an escape. 

When I was writing to her I was in this cosy world where everything was soft, whit sheets and orange afternoon glow and warmth. So much warmth. So I continued writing, expecting to give them to her at Summer In The City 2015.

However, an earlier opportunity to give these letters over arose.

I was just sat on my bed when I saw that Dodie had uploaded a new video and so casually began to watch. Until she said she was doing a free show in London for the extras that came to Bertie Gilbert and Sammy Paul's new short film, Blue Sushi.

Now I love Bertie and I love Sammy. I had not, however, seen that they wanted extras because if I had I would have been planning to go as soon as they announced it. However, seeing as I'm oblivious to most things this was the first time I'd heard of it. 

"Mum, I'm going to London on Saturday!" I had called across the house. It was Tuesday.

So I asked all the friends I had and eventually set off for London with my girlfriend of the time. Letters in my bag and trying to stay calm, we queued to be extras in a short film.

For me this was a huge deal. Bertie was one of the first YouTubers I had started watching when he was just this little vlogger with these big ideas for short films. So to get to be there, to see the making of this film and to be a part of it was absolutely incredible.

When we arrived Dodie performed (with special guest star Jack Howard who we got a sneaky pic with in the queue) and was amazing as always. Then the filming began.

Now, as much as the experience was absolutely incredible and the craziest thing I've probably ever done. After three hours of screaming and dancing and listening to the same song over and over again... for three bloody hours, you begin to get very tired. By the time the filming was done and we were leaving the venue my feet were killing me.

On the way out we had a quick picture with Sammy who was very sweaty and tired but still managed a quick hello. Then we queued up to meet everyone else. Dodie was the first person we met but the people at the venue were being very pushy and I didn't have time to get my letters out of my bag so I just got the picture with her and left.

We met Bertie (and the camera guy) who was really lovely before heading out to sit on this fake grass the was in the centre of the building we were in. We stayed there for a good hour and had something to eat before heading back to the queue. 

There was only about five people there so we quickly jumped onto the end of the queue and I got my letters out.

"We actually already met you but I forgot to give you these." I said when we reached her, holding out the letters. "I'm not sure if you remember but I gave you some letters in April."

"Oh my gosh I remember reading these on the floor of the Dovan flat." She said and I pretty much melted. 

I can't really remember what was said after that. She said something about looking forward to read them, I probably mumbled something stupid and then we left with me grinning like the biggest idiot on earth. 

I was literally smiling the whole way home. Especially since sneaky me had added in some pictures of myself so that Dodie might recognise me at SitC,

However, what I didn't account for was the fact that I dyed my hair a few weeks later. From that not so great blonde to brown. I am very happy with the change by the way.

~*~

I continued writing letters up until SitC. I had tickets for the weekend at SitC but on the Sunday I had to go on my own while I was with two friends on the Saturday (my girlfriend and the friend that came to all those concerts with me).

I was hoping to meet Dodie on the Saturday so that I would be with friends and therefore less nervous but that didn't happen and half of me is kind of glad about that. It felt more personal, just being Dodie and I. Ya know, if you forgot the huge line of people behind me also waiting to meet her.

"Hi so I'm not sure if you remember but I write you letters." I said as I reached her. "And I wrote more."

"Yeah! I was looking out for you." - that was the moment my heart like stopped. dodie clark was looking out for me. I could hardly comprehend it - "From the photos, I remembered glasses."

"Yeah I dyed my hair so I'm a little bit different now." I mumbled.

*the sentences are a little broken up cos I only wrote notes on my phone about what happened*

"So how's school?" She asked.

"I haven't been since it's summer now." I told her.

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting. How's your girlfriend? Sorry it feels like I know you because I've read all your letters."

"It's okay. She was actually here yesterday but she couldn't come today." I said.

I then gave her some cookies that I had made and decorated with my friends which she said she wanted to eat there and then. I also gave her a letter to give to Evan because I hadn't met him all weekend and it was already five o'clock on the Sunday so I didn't think I would get to meet him. I was correct. 

After that we took a photo together but my hands were shaking so much that it was just a blur and so Dodie offered to take the photo for me. I'm still annoyed that a piece of hair fell in front of my eyes just before she took the picture but oh well, I still love it. We hugged and then I left and, once again, I could not stop smiling. 

~*~

 

In the following six months a lot happened. 

I broke up with my girlfriend, started my A levels at school, met Dan and Phil, did my work experience, lost a lot of old friends who moved to different schools after GCSE and made a lot of new friends. I also made some long distance friends that I talk to all the time still and decided what I wanted to do after school. I stated recording YouTube videos as well.

All of this was summed up in 24 letters. The most I had ever written. As well as this, they were much longer than the previous letters and a lot more emotional. And it wasn't just letters either. I also started doodling and writing songs.

I made some little flower things and drew some things for Dodie all of which went in with the letters. As well as this I got lots of awesome people on tumblr to send me art work and messages to go in this book thing for Dodie. And it turned out so, so cool.

I was so proud of it. I had planned make a tumblr post with all the pages of the finished product but my iPad crashed and all of the photos got lost. Because I hadn't gotten around to backing them up yet and so I lost them all. Most other things were fine because I'd posted all the pictures from the gathering on Facebook. I have just lost an obscene amount of selfies now.

Anyway, so at the end of January Andie Isalie announced that she was doing a gathering in London, naturally I was already planning the journey in my head, and that Dodie would be there as well. That's when I started putting the art book together.

~*~ 

I was on a train with my best friend (the ex-girlfriend), Izzy, on our way to London. All of the seats were full so we had to stand the whole journey but I was too excited to really care. I kept grinning to myself as I thought about where we were headed. My mum and brother were also with us as my mum was going to a museum and my little brother was coming with us. He's into pretty much everything I am so loves Dodie as well.

As we got off the tube and arrived at the area where the gathering was being held we immediately spotted loads of people who were quite clearly going to the same place as us. Ukuleles were sticking out of bags and flowers sat in crowns on top of heads. We made our way to the area with the idea of making friends. However, we were too shy and anxious to actually talk to anyone so we kind of just kept to ourselves, speaking to people occasionally.

It was half an hour later when Dodie and Andie arrived, almost immediately being swarmed by people before they made their way over to the centre of the park next to a water-fountain. It didn't take long for Andie to suggest they stood in the fountain and soon we were all gathered round this fountain while Dodie and Andie stood in the middle.

There was then a good hour or so of music from the girls and it did begin to rain at some point but everyone was ready for the rain so it wasn't too bad. After the singing, Andie suggested we get into groups of about twenty and that her and Dodie would come round to all the groups. That plan lasted about two minutes.

Eventually Dodie and Andie were both swarmed by people while some groups stood around making friends or singing. 

We made our way straight over to Steven Bridges. Knowing that he would be there we had all bought forks in the hopes he would bend them. (If you didn't already know he's magic. Like literal magic.) He freaking blew my mind whilst also being the most friendly guy ever. He's still one of my favourite people ever.

After having my mind thoroughly blown we went and spoke to Dean Dobbs. My brother kind of fangirled pretty bad when meeting him and they had the most awkward handshake ever because my brother used to wrong hand but it was just hilarious.

Dean was so, so nice. He shook our hands after meeting him and I commented on how formal it was and he was just so lovely. 

Then we kind of just wandered around for a bit. We tried to talk to Eden but as we went over this guy just butted into our conversation (he hardly even knew her properly) and so we didn't get to talk but it wasn't too bad because like two minutes later Steven Bridges was stood by us on his own so we started taking to him.

I was kind of blown away by how easy it was just to have a casual conversation with these people. It really reminds you that they are just people as well. Eventually we made our way over to talk to Andie who was very lively.

I got her to sign my ukulele and then she dropped my sharpie in a puddle but it still works okay so it's fine. Andie was really nice and thanked us for standing around in the rain for hours even though there was no need to thank us really.

We then decided to join the queue of people waiting to meet Dodie which had gotten considerably smaller over time. I was getting all shaky and nervous in the queue so I made my friend go first and then my brother who suddenly got all shy on me.

"This is my little brother." I told Dodie, pushing my brother forward.

"Do you want a hug?" She asked and my brother nodded and they hugged and I think my brother was too star-struck to talk because I had to ask her to sign his book for him and if he could get a picture. When he was done, my heart kind of jolted before I spoke up.

"Hey so last year I wrote you lots of letters." I said and she smiled, nodding.

"I loved reading your letters, they're like a story." She said and I tried not to fangirl too hard because oh wow.

"So I made this art book for you with art people sent in on tumblr." I said, trying to sound casual as I gave her the book of art.

She began looking through it with wide eyes. "You cannot say that so casually when you show me this." She said, looking through all the work which pulled an awkward laugh out of me. 

"I mean I did glue every page together." I said jokingly even though I did. I glued every page together.

"So much effort must have gone into this." She said before closing the book and looking up at me. "This is amazing." 

Cue nervous laughter and awkward thank-you's from me. "I also wrote A LOT of letters." I said, pulling the folder of letters and other bits out. "There are twenty-four." I watched with a nervous smile as her eyes widened as well as the girl that was holding her umbrella for her (you did a great job by the way, that was so nice of you to hold an umbrella over her all day).

"Oh wow." She said as I handed over the folder which was in a bag. She placed it down on the floor with all the other bags and things she'd been given. "It's weird, you grow a little bit more every time I see you, it's so strange!" She said and I just grinned.

I then got her to sign my ukulele which was a little difficult considering it was raining but we managed and then got a photo together which I asked her to take considering my hands had been shaking so much last time. 

In all of the excitement I forgot to get a hug but I don't mind two much because I was so, so happy. As we were about to leave, Dodie said, "Can't wait to read all your letters."

~*~

The whole train journey home I kept smiling randomly which caused my friend and my mum to keep laughing because we'd be sat in silence and then I'd just start randomly smiling.

Later that night I was sat at home when I saw I had a twitter notification and once again I could not stop smiling.

@ doddleoddle:

@ nopretendingnow got a mug of tea, sitting in bed, about to dig into your letters and your life. Here we go!

 

This was not only the cutest message ever but it was a reference to something I'd written on the like 'introduction' thing I had written and put at the front of the folder.

I was so happy, still makes me happy now if I'm honest. 

A couple of weeks later she posted a video where she assembled her loft bed with Dan Layton and I noticed that there was a brown folder on the floor that looked an awful lot like the folder I had given her with all my letters. After tweeting her at like half past eleven in the evening asking if it was, turns out it was! 

Something about seeing the letters that contained six months of my life sat on Dodie's floor made me immensely happy.

~*~

So that is the story so far. All the times I've met Dodie Clark and some in between bits. As you can probably tell she means a lot to me.

I think sometimes my friends get very tired of me always talking about YouTube and more specifically, Dodie. I can't really help it to be honest, I don't do a lot with my life other than going to YouTube events and ComicCon.

I think there'll be more to add to this in the future, I hope so at least. I'm still writing letters and I'm still going to events so hopefully I can write another 5,000 words. Oh wow, this is longer than most of my short stories and OneShots.

If you stuck to the end then I commend you. This is really for me when I'm older. I'm already starting to forget the details of most of these events and I'm just lucky I wrote notes in my phone about it when it was still fresh in my mind.

Hope you enjoyed if you did finish it!

~Indigo

**Author's Note:**

> So that is the story so far. All the times I've met Dodie Clark and some in between bits. As you can probably tell she means a lot to me.
> 
> I think sometimes my friends get very tired of me always talking about YouTube and more specifically, Dodie. I can't really help it to be honest, I don't do a lot with my life other than going to YouTube events and ComicCon.
> 
> I think there'll be more to add to this in the future, I hope so at least. I'm still writing letters and I'm still going to events so hopefully I can write another 5,000 words. Oh wow, this is longer than most of my short stories and OneShots.
> 
> If you stuck to the end then I commend you. This is really for me when I'm older. I'm already starting to forget the details of most of these events and I'm just lucky I wrote notes in my phone about it when it was still fresh in my mind.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed if you did finish it!
> 
> ~Indigo


End file.
